Program Hosts Undergrad Researchers From Mexico

Jun. 30, 2011

Ten undergraduates from Mexico have worked in UT Dallas labs this summer as part of a program designed to prepare them for careers in science and engineering research.

UT Dallas Summer Research Program participants lead their own projects under the supervision of mentors in active research environments on campus. They conduct their own data analysis and present their findings at a formal scientific session at the end of the program.

The 9-year-old program is organized by the Office of Graduate Studies and the Center for U.S.-Mexico Studies.

“An active research experience of this type is considered one of the most effective ways of attracting talented undergraduates and retain them in careers in science and engineering,” said Dr. Austin Cunningham, the program’s director.

The research these students have conducted has been as specialized as it is varied.

Aldo Garcia Taboada, from Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, worked under Dr. A. Dean Sherry at the Advanced Research Imaging Center on a technology that will be used to measure mitochondrial function in diabetics.

Veronica Suaste from the University of Guanajuato explored the use of cryptographic techniques to securely store sensitive documents on cloud computing services, under the supervision of Prof. Murat Kantarcioglu. Mariana Lopez from the University of Las Americas is working, under the supervision of Dr. John Ferraris, on the fabrication and testing of membranes for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and gas separation applications.

Since 2002, 84 undergraduates have participated, doing research in biology, nanotechnology, computer science, chemistry, engineering, the natural sciences, management and related fields. Housing is provided during the eight to nine weeks that the students are on campus.